Here's the latest bits added, should have the winch drum soon, Scot Yeo has been machining it out of solid 6" bar, I reckon 50% has ended up as swarf (too big for my little Super 7)

Here's the top of the jib and the bit where the cable gets attached. The two swan neck pieces were cut & filed out of 40mm x 10mm bar, a lot of filings!

This shows the little splash guard to stop the main gear wheel chucking oil over the belly tank, Highly recommended by Professor Tim so it had to be made.

Shows the jib supports and the empty space where the winch drum will go, the RH side hasn't been bolted onto the smokebox yet as it will be easier to assemble the drum then.It should lift 200kg's when finished, working on the assumption that 'Old Tim' (the engine) could lift 25% of her total weight and that Hercules will be about 800kg's.I did hang off the top of the jib the other day which is about 100kg's and it didn't flinch one bit so it will be interesting to try it on something a bit more weighty.Looking forward to lighting a fire in the firebox soon.

Just finished the writing on the side of the canopy. I'd like to say I painted it all but only the line is painted, the letters are vinyl that have been varnished over for a bit of added security. Hoping to pick up the winch drum this weekend, get that fitted & then it'll ready for a fire.

good work steve,something totally different for the rally scene.the cab is a bit high but i understand the reasoning behind it. On the subject of burrell crane engines 39 left the works as crane engines ranging from 2 6hp single cylinder traction engines right through to the big 12hp compound on big wheels and single drive for export,as you said.There were 8 similar engines made between 8hp and 12hp,7 for export and 1 8hp for the home market 2345 delivered to harper & screen in birmingham,latterly screen brothers,in 1900.Screens also had an 8hp single drive road locomotive,4039, built in 1926,but 0n 6ft 9 1/2in back wheels and the big fronts,with crane which worked with "old tim".Keep up the good work,although i cannot work out how you have built all those engines and have a full time job,well done.

Looking in the 'Burrell Style' book they only list 21 crane engines that left the Thetford Works. I'd be interested in where you got your figures from. Is that including later conversions perhaps. The height of the roof looks right to me, especially as many crane engines had the higher roof so the driver could see the top of the jib easily. Somehow it makes the whole engine feel bigger!

Last edited by Steve Traill on Sun 15 Feb 2015, 11:24 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : more info)

Hi steve, i got my information from "burrell style" and "st nicholas work" by Michael lane,if you look in" burrell style"you will have noticed that the engine list starts at number 2238.Prior to that there were 13 crane engines that left the works built as such,including 2 6hp sc traction engines,1 8hp scc traction engine,1 6hp scc road locomotive,3 8hp scc road locomotives,1 10 hp scc road loco,and 4 8hp dcc road locomotives,and 2075 an 8hp dcc road locomotive built with a unique skewing crane of 10 ton capacity, so as you can see that is why you statement that burrells only built dcc crane engines is wrong.Have you missed the 5 5t tractors 3190-3194,as i did.I have not included any engines converted during their working life. I am sure some people will moan about the cab height,but its your engine,your happy with it,thats all that matters,isnt it?I am sure,if you wanted,it could be lowered for exhibition purposes,then the engine would win even more prizes,but i think that you want to drive it. Now going to dig out "chronicles of a country works" to see what that says.

Ready for steaming now, just waiting on the time & the weather! The 4" Aggi sailed through it's hydraulic & steam test for another year, the only maintenance needed was the whistle plunger was stuck. A quick dismantle, brush a bit of steam oil around it's fiddly bits and all was well. This is it's 10th year now it's been in steam and 99.99% still original, wish they made cars that reliable!

Still coming but without an engine, I might have the possibility of looking after a Cornish engine for the day, will know more nearer the time. If not I will bring some beers for us to have lazy day under the gazebo again.

Indeed it does, as I'm bringing Frederick to Cornwall for Bocconoc and Stithians. Looking forward to Engine Hill with the DCC and chuffing up to Illogan from Cambrose (where we stay). Should also have a little helper at Bocconoc - no not Mike - but grandson & his father.

Congratulations Steve.What a magnificent sight. The build is a real credit to your engineering skills. I guess with all the spare time you now have we will be seeing heaps of pictures of Hercules at the various Rally's and Shows you attend. Thankyou for the advice on the smeech. Will add this to the list of improvements I need to carry out. Kind regards Shane.

Carried out the hydraulic test this afternoon, had quite a bit of water going down the blast pipe so tried blanking it off but 270psi finds any weakness! Made up a little puck to sit on top of the regulator block that presses down on the four corners and then used a bolt on the blanking plate to screw down onto this. Pumped up easily then with only minor weeps from a few fittings (only to be expected with a cold engine). A slow pump on the handle held it easily at 270 so all was well. Tubes all bone dry, glad to see that the pressure gauge goes up to 300 so no worries about hurting that. Good result, steam test next.

Successful first steaming, runs very smoothly.Tried putting a video of the engine running but it seems I have to put it on u-tube first!

On the 'to do' list are a couple of minor leaks from glands, neither whistle seems to want to make a noise with steam, the up side is they don't leak! funny as they made a noise with an airline!The water pump doesn't work, I didn't think it would as I sort of tested it by turning the flywheel & it did zippo. Fortunately Steve gave me a nice bronzie coloured one at Dorset as I had my doubts about it then. So that's to change over. The oiler is putting some in but not much, I seem to remember setting it too max. so will give that a look at too. The main RH bearing was knocking, checked the horizontal thrust bolt, pretty slack, gave it a couple of turns and the knock was gone. Forgot to nip that one up! there's always something that slips through the checks. The injector didn't want to play either, will check all the connections for air leaks, it came pretty close though. Steamed the engine for about 3 hours with it quietly ticking over forwards & in reverse, water was getting low then & with no means of topping it up I let the fire die down. I always run a thin fire when first steaming an engine, still, had it up to 150psi and all was pretty good really.Now let's have a look at that water pump...........................................